WEBVTT
LL
BE THE LAST.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT SURVEILLANCE
VIDEO FROM JADE, A LUXURY SHOP
ON METAIRIE ROAD.
THIS WOMAN WALKED AROUND AND
PICKED UP PLACE CARD HOLDERS.
AND CHRISTY PORTA, THE CASHIER,
SAYS SHE PAID FOR THEM WITH A
FAKE 100 DOLLAR BILL
>> IT WAS SAD I DIDN'T THINK
ANYTHING OF IT.
I WAS NAIVE TO SOMEONE COMING IN
AND DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT
BUT NOW I KNOW YOU ALWAYS HAVE
TO BE ON YOUR TOES.
AUBRY: PORTA SAYS HER SHOP IS
ONE OF MANY TO BE HIT.
>>PROBABLY FIVE OR SIX IN THE
LAST FEW DAYS.
AUBRY: FLIRTY A GIRL IN METAIRIE
WAS ALSO HIT.
THEIR CAMERAS CAPTURED THESE
IMAGES.
>>THERE ARE DEFINITELY A LOT OF
EMOTIONS GOING ON WHEN THIS
HAPPENS AT THE BUSINESS YOU ARE
AT AND IT GETS PAST YOU.
AUBRY: ELISE ROME WAS WORKING
WHEN SHE SAYS THE WOMAN PAID
WITH A FAKE 100.
>> IT'S JUST NOT FAIR.
AUBRY: SHE SAYS EVEN SHE USED A
BILL MARKER TO CHECK THE BILL
AND IT CAME OUT FINE.
BUT, SHE SAYS BANKER TOLD HER
SOMETIMES MARKERS USED
FREQUENTLY STILL HAVE THE
MATERIAL FROM A REAL BILL ON
THEM WHICH CAN IMPACT HOW WELL
THEY WORK.
>> YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SHINE
IT.
AUBRY: SO THEY'LL CHECK BIG
BUCKS UNDER A BLACK LIGHT.
THEY'VE ALSO WORKED WITH LAW
ENFORCEMENT ON WHAT TO DO IF
THEY SUSPECT A 100 IS A FAKE.
>> IF YOU HAVE SOMEBODY WORKING
SAY I DON'T HAVE CHANGE OVER
HERE LET ME RUN TO THE BACK AND
TRY TO GRAB YOUR PHONE AND CALL
911.
AUBRY: SECURITY EXPERT MIKE CAHN
SAYS 3000-$5,000 WORTH OF
COUNTERFEIT MONEY IS USED EVERY
WEEK IN THE NEW ORLEANS
METROPOLITAN AREA.
>> SOME WAYS THAT THE
COUNTERFEIT MONEY ARE MADE IS
THAT THEY WILL TAKE THE $1 BILLS
AND THEY WILL WASH THOSE WITH
IODINE SO THEY CAN KEEP THE
ACTUAL THREADED PAPER THAT'S
MADE FOR THE DOLLARS AND THEY
WILL PRINT OVER WITH THE
HUNDREDS THROUGH COUNTERFEIT
PRINTING MACHINES.
AUBRY: CAHN SAYS IF CONVICTED
THIS WOMAN COULD BE LOOKING AT A
FEDERAL CHARGE.
>> SHE IS REALLY HURTING PEOPLE
IT'S NOT A GOOD TIME TO BE DOING
STUFF LIKE THIS SO I DON'T KNOW
WHAT HER SITUATION IS BUT WHAT

About a half-dozen store owners in Jefferson Parish said they were scammed when a woman used counterfeit $100 bills to steal from them.

WDSU spoke with managers of two of the businesses.

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One of them said that even after she checked the bill, it got past her. She said it was the first time it's happened, and she wants to make sure it will be the last.

WDSU obtained surveillance video from Jade, a luxury shop on Metairie Road, showing a woman walking around and picking up place card holders. Cashier Christy Porta said the woman paid for them with a fake $100 bill.

"It was sad,” Porta said. “I didn't think anything of it. I was naive to someone coming in and doing something like that, but now I know you always have to be on your toes."

Porta said her shop is one of many that were scammed.

"Probably five or six in the last few days,” Porta said.

Fleurty Girl in Metairie was also hit. The store's cameras recorded video.

"There are definitely a lot of emotions going on when this happens at the business you are at and it gets past you,” Fleurty Girl manager Elise Rome said.

Rome was on duty when the woman paid with a fake $100 bill.

"It's just not fair,” Rome said.

Rome said she used a bill marker to check the bill, and it came out fine.

She said a banker told her that sometimes markers still have residue from a real bill on them, which can affect how well they work, so they check big bucks under a black light.

The store has also worked with law enforcement on what to do if it suspects that a $100 bill is a fake.

"If you have somebody working, say 'I don't have change over here,'" Rome said. “'Let me run to the back,' and try to grab your phone and call 911."

Security expert Mike Cahn said as much as $5,000 in counterfeit money is passed every week in the New Orleans metropolitan area.

"Some ways that the counterfeit money are made is that they will take the $1 bills and they will wash those with iodine so they can keep the actual threaded paper that's made for the dollars,” Cahn said. “They will print over with the hundreds through counterfeit printing machines."

Cahn said the woman accused of passing the bills could be looking at a federal charge.

"She is really hurting people,” Porta said. “It's not a good time to be doing stuff like this. So I don't know what her situation is but what she's doing is terrible."

Both businesses said they have filed reports with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office. They said the woman who paid with counterfeit dollars has tattoos on her arm and upper chest area.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff's Office.

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